Friday, December 4, 2009

UPDATE~ I will be sharing this at Southern Hospitality's Christmas Tour of Homes...

and here at Hooked on Houses!!
Hello guys!! Hope everyone is having a great Friday. We have had a fun week... It actually snowed here. Because this only happens about once every two years we were a bit excited! Now to my project... I finally got sick of staring at the base holding my tree up. I have had this planned in my head for a few weeks so I finally busted out the sewing machine. Here's what I did...

I used a 9x12 drop cloth from Lowe's for my fabric. This is larger than I needed but I will use the rest for an upcoming project.

I then used a $1 tree skirt I purchased at the Dollar Tree for my pattern. I wanted mine just a bit larger so I added about two inches all around.

Then I cut my strips for my super cute ruffles... I cut 4 strips that were each 9' long.

I wanted to do a fun edge rather than a usual hem so I decided to do a rolled hem using my serger. You just run your fabric through and it does the rest... woohoo! If any of you want some tips on a rolled hem, you know where to find me.

Now to introduce you all to my favorite foot :) This is my ruffler. For those of you with a sewing machine that do not own one of these... it's time to ask Santa. This baby makes a ruffle in no time and had adjustments so you can pick how full you want it.

So I spent about 2 minutes running 12 yards of fabric through my ruffler and I was finished. This is what my ruffle looked like before I attached it around the edge of the skirt.

I then attached my 12 yards of ruffles to my circle piece using a straight stitch.

I finished my raw edge where the skirt is cut to fit around the tree and added two pieces of twine for the ties. My final step was to cover up the shanty tree stand and then take a bunch of pictures:) What do you think?? Not too shanty for $9 and 30 minutes I think!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you guys have a great weekend and I can't wait to see all your goodies for the Rust-Oleum Revamp on Sunday!! Get those posts ready!! If you still need some info on the party you can click the button below. Thanks again!!

81 comments:

OMG..Shut Up..A ruffler that ruffled 12 yards in a snap. Santa we need to have a serious talk, I have been left out far to long. This skirt is just the sweetest thing ever. I love it. You did an outstanding job. Thank you so much for sharing.

Okay, seriously? A ruffler? Why don't I know about this foot? I'm not much of a seamstress, but I really think I need that. Is there a technical name for it, or do I just ask for the ruffler foot at the fabric store?Love your tree skirt. I've been wanting a cuter one but haven't seen anything that I love. Yours is PERFECT! Thanks for sharing.

Your tree skirt is super cute!! Why have I not ever heard of a ruffler foot?!? I need to go out and get one AND I need to figure out how to do the rolled hem on my serger! You gals come up with the best ideas!

I think that this is my very favorite out of all of the great projects that you've posted. Love it! I've considered getting a ruffler foot and just have never done it. I may have to do so now! Great job!

I have my Grandma's old Singer. So old it only does a straight stitch and is has a sep foot for doing a zig-zag. LOL. It came with a box full of special feet and I am thinking that a ruffler is one of them. I am going to have to do some experimenting once the Christmas season is over.Thanks for the Inspiration.

I love your tree skirt! I don't have a serger so I think it might be too much of a project for me to do it by hand! tee hee. That hand gathering is not my thing, not with my artritic fingers! Anyway, I love it. It's beautiful. thank you for visiting junkblossoms! I hope you'll visit again soon. Merry Christmas! Pat

OK ~ I want to give you a big hug! I am going tomorrow to buy THE RUFFLER!! I have never heard of one - though I am just a self taught girl with a sewing machine! Thanks so much for posting and your tree and tree skirt look fabulous! Happy Holidays!

Okie dokie! I am still a bit new to sewing and let me tell you ... that ruffle foot will be on my list. Maybe not until my bday in May ... but it will find it's way onto my list! :o)I just posted a question on my blog. If you have a change can you help me? Thanks! Trish

That is such a great idea! I strongly dislike the tree skirt we have now... it is more then aweful! I may have to sew one of these and wrap it up as a gift along with the ruffle footer... is there one available for regular sewing machines too, I am guessing yes. I will have to scope it out. Thanks for sharing! I love it!!

Whitney! I love it! You know I love dropcloths! I love the ruffle so much. It looks gorg.Mom told me she wanted me to have her sewing machine and serger before she passed away. I am so thrilled to have them, but I don't know how to use the serger yet. I am hoping to figure it out after Christmas when things settle down. I know it will save me tons of time. Great job girl!Traci

This is, without a doubt, my favorite project I've ever seen on here. Amazing! You've inspired me. I've had a serger sitting in my closet for about three years now, and have never learned to use it. It's time to learn...if for no other reason than those ruffles!!

You did a super job on your tree skirt! The ruffle just makes it! I had a ruffler once for my sewing machine - but I burned it up making a ruffle for my mother to put on a bedspread she's made! I never bought another one.Be a sweetie,Shelia ;)

Oh now I need to add a sewing machine to my Christmas list! I think this skirt is absolutely fabulous. I love the ruffles! We had snow in Houston and of course everything shut down here. Merry Christmas!

What a beautiful tree skirt! Thank you for sharing. This has been added to my "things I want to do but will probably never get to list... " though I hope that I actually get to it before next Christmas!